Jackson Burial Postponed Until Sept. 3
Michael Jackson won't be laid to rest on what would have been his 51st birthday after all.
A spokesman for the Jackson family says the King of Pop's funeral has been postponed until Sept. 3, five days after the singer's birthday.
Spokesman Ken Sunshine, in a statement Friday, offered no reason for the delay.
Jackson's family had planned a private daytime service for Aug. 29. The pop superstar will now be interred in The Great Mausoleum at Forest Lawn-Glendale at a private evening ceremony.
The cemetery is spread over several hills on land roughly 8 miles north of downtown Los Angeles. The mausoleum includes a stained-glass replica of Leonardo da Vinci's "The Last Supper" and replicas of Michelangelo's statues.
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Meanwhile, a hearing on whether a tour of Jackson's memorabilia will be approved will go forward without testimony from the singer's brother Randy.
Attorneys for Katherine Jackson, who opposes the deal struck with concert promoter AEG Live, said they will not call Randy Jackson. They will also not call concert promoter Leonard Rowe, who has been a critic of AEG.
The deal, valued at up to $6 million, has been stymied for weeks because of the objections from Mrs. Jackson, the King of Pop's mother.
The judge sealed the courtroom to hear testimony from several witnesses, including John Branca, a current administrator of Jackson's estate.
Michael Jackson's nephew, Taj, was expected to testify during Friday's hearing.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff is expected to rule on whether the proposed memorabilia tour — which AEG wants to open to coincide with a movie based on Jackson's final rehearsals — is a good deal for the singer's estate.
Mrs. Jackson has opposed the deal, saying it should have been competitively bid rather than offered exclusively to AEG. Her attorneys say more is at stake than money; they are concerned about Jackson's lasting legacy.
Kathy Jorrie, an attorney for AEG, expressed frustration Friday morning that Rowe was shown a confidential contract because he was originally listed as an expert witness by Mrs. Jackson, only to be withdrawn.